Health care leaders team up to increase number of local physicians

Special to the Times-News

Published: Thursday, January 17, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 5:28 p.m.

Western North Carolina has a shortage of more than 100 primary care physicians, and with 30 million more Americans now able to gain access to health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, the demand for high-quality primary care physicians will be increasing dramatically, leaders of local health care organizations said.

Combined with an aging population, this shortage will place a tremendous stress on the health care system, the organizations said in a news release.

Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Mountain Area Health Education Center, Pardee Hospital and the MAHEC Hendersonville Family Medicine Residency Program are planning to respond to the anticipated need by collaborating to increase the number of newly graduated doctors entering the family medicine residency in Hendersonville.

By using grant dollars made available to MAHEC by the ACA under the “Teaching Health Center” program, the collaboration will not only increase the number of family medicine physicians training locally, but will also increase access for patients who struggle with poverty, a lack of health insurance and other barriers to accessing health care.

Under the Teaching Health Center program, MAHEC will be increasing the number of residents entering its Hendersonville Family Medicine Residency, and the operations of the MAHEC outpatient clinical site, currently operated by Pardee, would be assumed by BRCHS. The plan requires final approval, but is anticipated to be complete by July 1.

According to Dr. Geoffrey Jones, program director of the residency program, current patients shouldn’t experience any change in their current patient-physician relationship with the transition to BRCHS, but the goal is for the area to gain new, well-trained physicians for the long term.

“We look forward to enhancing our residency program through this partnership,” Jones said. “Patients will continue to see all of the same providers and staff, but under the new banner of BRCHS. We look forward to expanding our residency classes through this funding initiative and retaining even more graduates to stay in the Hendersonville area.”

BRCHS is a nonprofit community health center that has been serving Hendersonville and the surrounding communities for 50 years. Services are located at 2579 Chimney Rock Road in Hendersonville, at the corner of U.S. 64 East and Howard Gap Road; in Brevard at 89 Hospital Drive, Suite B; and in four Henderson County schools — Bruce Drysdale and Hillandale elementaries, Apple Valley Middle and North Henderson High.

MAHEC is a not-for-profit corporation established in 1974 as part of the statewide North Carolina AHEC System and provides health care as a foundation for training top physicians and health professionals. MAHEC clinicians provide patient care services in locations in Asheville and Hendersonville. For more information, call 828-257-4400 or visit www.mahec.net.

Pardee Hospital is a not-for-profit community hospital founded in 1953 and managed by UNC Health Care. For more information or to find a physician, call 1-866-790-WELL (9355) or visit www.pardeehospital.org.

<p>Western North Carolina has a shortage of more than 100 primary care physicians, and with 30 million more Americans now able to gain access to health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act, the demand for high-quality primary care physicians will be increasing dramatically, leaders of local health care organizations said. </p><p>Combined with an aging population, this shortage will place a tremendous stress on the health care system, the organizations said in a news release.</p><p>Blue Ridge Community Health Services, Mountain Area Health Education Center, Pardee Hospital and the MAHEC Hendersonville Family Medicine Residency Program are planning to respond to the anticipated need by collaborating to increase the number of newly graduated doctors entering the family medicine residency in Hendersonville. </p><p>By using grant dollars made available to MAHEC by the ACA under the “Teaching Health Center” program, the collaboration will not only increase the number of family medicine physicians training locally, but will also increase access for patients who struggle with poverty, a lack of health insurance and other barriers to accessing health care.</p><p>Under the Teaching Health Center program, MAHEC will be increasing the number of residents entering its Hendersonville Family Medicine Residency, and the operations of the MAHEC outpatient clinical site, currently operated by Pardee, would be assumed by BRCHS. The plan requires final approval, but is anticipated to be complete by July 1.</p><p>According to Dr. Geoffrey Jones, program director of the residency program, current patients shouldn't experience any change in their current patient-physician relationship with the transition to BRCHS, but the goal is for the area to gain new, well-trained physicians for the long term. </p><p>“We look forward to enhancing our residency program through this partnership,” Jones said. “Patients will continue to see all of the same providers and staff, but under the new banner of BRCHS. We look forward to expanding our residency classes through this funding initiative and retaining even more graduates to stay in the Hendersonville area.” </p><p>BRCHS is a nonprofit community health center that has been serving Hendersonville and the surrounding communities for 50 years. Services are located at 2579 Chimney Rock Road in Hendersonville, at the corner of U.S. 64 East and Howard Gap Road; in Brevard at 89 Hospital Drive, Suite B; and in four Henderson County schools — Bruce Drysdale and Hillandale elementaries, Apple Valley Middle and North Henderson High. </p><p>For more information about BRCHS, call 828-692-4289 ext. 2509; write to BRCHS at P.O. Box 5151, Hendersonville, NC 28793; or visit www.brchs.com or www.facebook.com/BRCHS. </p><p>MAHEC is a not-for-profit corporation established in 1974 as part of the statewide North Carolina AHEC System and provides health care as a foundation for training top physicians and health professionals. MAHEC clinicians provide patient care services in locations in Asheville and Hendersonville. For more information, call 828-257-4400 or visit www.mahec.net.</p><p>Pardee Hospital is a not-for-profit community hospital founded in 1953 and managed by UNC Health Care. For more information or to find a physician, call 1-866-790-WELL (9355) or visit www.pardeehospital.org.</p>